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History

OUR HISTORY SECTION PROVIDES A UNIQUE EXPLANATION OF THE ORIGINS OF CANADA'S SPACE AND COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS

LEARN HOW:

Canada 's established itself as a world leader in technology during WWII;
The Alouette 1 project established Canada as the 3rd nation in space AND how it redefined international performance expectations for satellites;
Dr. John Chapman's vision changed the course of Canada's space program and lead to the creation of Telesat, CRC and the ANIK series of communications satellites;
Hermes was the satellite which won Canada an Emmy Award and paved the way for the direct to home satellite television that we enjoy today;

Canada lead the way to creating a Mobile Communications system that allows aircraft to communicate from anywhere in the world, and how that process lead to economic opportunities for Canadian companies.

IMAGE ABOVE - Changing Times: Workers assemble gas masks as part of Canada's war effort in the 1940s (left), David Florida Laboratory technologists assemble the space station's remote manipulator arm in 1999 (centre) and an artists conception of RADARSAT 2 (right) shows the satellite which will be assembled at Shirleys Bay in 2003.

The WW II RESEARCH LABS
				During WWII Canada was called upon by Britain to develop technology for use in the war effort. In the process Canada became a world leader in Gas Mask Technology and in RADAR technology. This overview article describes how this came about and how it lead to the establishment of the Shirleys Bay Campus in 1952.
TRACKING SPUTNIK
				Everyone who participated in the early days of the space race will tell you about the excitement they felt. Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment (DRTE) staff at Shirleys Bay were in the enviable position of being prepared to contribute in a meaningful way, even as Sputnik 1 was launched. This historical excerpt gives us a feeling for what it might have been like to be part of Shirleys Bay during those exciting times.
ALOUETTE 1
				The project that launched Canada's space program
DR. JOHN H. CHAPMAN
				'John Chapman's vision and determination were central to the success of the space program' says Bert Blevis, former DG Space Technology, as he describes the man often referred to as the father of the Canadian space program.
HERMES
				Hermes was an experimental satellite built to test a new concept for communications satellites; that is, high power in the satellite and small dishes on earth. It led the way to direct to home satellite TV which we enjoy today and it won Canada an Emmy award in the process!
NEGOTIATING THE SPECTRUM
				Dr. Bert Blevis former Director General, Space Technology recalls some of the exciting stories surrounding Hermes, the ITU, SARSAT and Our Emmy !
SEEING THE FUTURE How the Internet Came to Shirleys Bay First
				Says CRC scientist Thom Whalen, 'One of the services we investigated first was USENET; we recognized that it allowed people to find strangers located anywhere in the world, who shared their interests. This function was not previously possible. This was not just a new way to do old things, but rather a new way to do new things. ... That is the definition of a cultural revolution!'
MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
				Anyone who travels by plane or ship will appreciate the benefits of INMARSAT, the worldwide satellite network that allows mobile aircraft and ships to communicate with the world regardless of where they are located. The Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) has played a major role in developing the concepts, protocols and technologies that led to today's INMARSAT air service.

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